Serving you

Before You Dig Australia is a National not-for-profit entity consisting of Member organisations from infrastructure asset owners and non-asset owners across Australia. BYDA provides a consistent national approach to the provision of BYDA services, including the national pre-excavation referral service.

BYDA is governed by a Board of Directors made up of representatives from the various infrastructure asset members.

As a fundamental element of our Core Vision, Purpose, and Values, BYDA’s corporate governance framework plays a key role in supporting business operations and provides guidance for effective decision making in all areas through:

  • Strategic, marketing, and operational planning
  • Risk management and compliance
  • Financial management and external reporting

Our Constitution governs how we operate and is available to view.

BYDA Board

Stuart Smith (BYDA Chair)

A career in IT&T taught me that outages were an unwanted and often preventable feature of operations. Of many possible causes, one of the most disruptive and time-consuming was underground cable damage. This triggered my initial interest in (Dial) Before You Dig, an organisation with a core purpose to prevent damage to public assets and prevent harm to people. My passion was reinvigorated through the Transformation Project, which redesigned existing organisations into a single streamlined, customer-focused, agile entity. BYDA is now in a great position to deliver increasing value to its stakeholders, and I am pleased to have a small part in the exciting future journey.

Stuart Smith

Eric Bardy

Eric Bardy

As a long-term participant in the energy industry, I have always held safety as a core value, particularly as a senior leader in an organisation that owns and operates high-pressure gas pipelines. Protecting public safety is part of our purpose. When the opportunity to become a director arose, I saw it as a way to assist with safety across the gas pipeline sector and beyond. It is with great pride that I played a part in the organisation’s transformation, improving the service’s quality and efficiency. I look forward to being part of the next chapter of BYDA.
Mick Cooper

Mick Cooper

Drawing upon 28 years of experience within the telecommunications industry, particularly focusing on construction and maintenance, safeguarding against damage has become an integral part of my professional identity. Throughout my career, I have directly observed the profound consequences that infrastructure damage can inflict on communities and enterprises. Thus, my decision to join the BYDA board was a natural progression. This board position provides a platform for me to apply my expertise in asset protection, advocate for resilient damage prevention strategies, and collaborate with fellow professionals who share a similar passion. Together, we aim to support BYDA members, businesses, and the broader public in safeguarding assets and ensuring the well-being of individuals nationwide.
Darryl Worthington

Darryl Worthington

Ensuring the safety of our community and protecting the assets of Australia’s most critical infrastructure has been a priority for me through more than 12 years of construction and operations in the telecommunications industry. Experiencing the impacts on asset owners, builders, and affected stakeholders creates a strong passion to be part of the solution. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to serve on the board of an organisation with such a unique value proposition to the industry and our communities.
Glen Cook (Cookie)

Glen Cook (Cookie)

I am an experienced Public Safety Specialist and Keynote Speaker. In 2020, I was named the Australian Safety Professional of the Year and recently awarded the 2022 Damage Prevention Hero of the Year at the Global Excavation Safety Conference in Tampa, Florida. Some of my impactful work includes the Look Up and Live app, an award-winning powerline mapping tool. With knowledge and advocacy of various at-risk industries, I emphasise safety through easily understandable presentations.

Tobi Lawrence-Ward

As the Chief Executive Officer of Abaxa, a rapidly expanding Subsurface Utility Engineering enterprise based in Western Australia, I leverage over two decades of expertise in safeguarding individuals and assets by delivering comprehensive solutions spanning from design inception to project completion. My leadership ethos revolves around fostering a collective vision, igniting enthusiasm for future prospects, and empowering teams to achieve remarkable results. My unwavering commitment to providing a voice to the user base, innovation and uncompromising standards of excellence drive my endeavours. I take great pride in my role on the Board, where I am dedicated to propelling BYDA towards unprecedented levels of achievement. In this capacity, I champion the paramount values of safety, diversity, collaboration, and industry leadership, ensuring a steadfast course toward success.

Saizad Ali

With 35+ years in the utility industry across Australia and New Zealand, my expertise revolves around asset management solutions, its use in field operations, and digital transformation. As a leader, I have had the privilege to drive several initiatives in my career, enhancing systems, processes, and data quality through new technology solutions. With previous experience from the NSW/ACT DBYD board, I’m excited to contribute to BYDA’s digital transformation. I aim to leverage digital visualisation technologies to simplify asset information, improve accessibility, industry safety, standardisation, and collaboration, supporting BYDA in shaping the future of utility damage prevention.

BYDA Annual Reports

Before You Dig Australia’s latest Annual Report is available to view online.

Governance

A background into who Before You Dig are

Who we are

A background into who Before You Dig are

Case Studies

A background into who Before You Dig are

Advocacy

A background into who Before You Dig are